GEM CAPITOL, MARTIAL LAW.[]
Almandine) I want every inch of this city searched! Even the continent if we have too! Get Plug Robonoids in every part of the sky! Leave no blind spots!
The crimson gem gave the orders, and an artillery gun fired into the sky. The shell exploded mid air, dispersing hundreds of drones to survey the Capitol.
Chalcedony saw the surveillance probes disperse in the atmosphere, and watched as their searchlights illuminated the city, as if they were beams of light sent down from the heavens. Except these beams were just the opposite. Getting caught in one meant death. A slow, painful one at that.
Chalcedony) Damn!
She wanted to scream, but that wouldn't be a smart idea, would it?
A narrow beam of red light sweeped across the street. Snipers. Yet another impedement. If this were the Rebellion, she'd just run past all of them without being spot. But being locked in a cell for almost three millenia does tend to decay your physical strength. Chalcedony crouched down, and slowly moved... not towards the warp pad... but towards the artillery gun.
After a long hour of dodging flood lights and sniper sights, the artillery gun was right around the corner. Guns like these were used as a mean not only to disperse, but also to control repair and recon robonoids. Destroying the gun meant destroying the drones. Granted, having hundreds of Plug Robonoids suddenly go dark would be VERY suspicious, but it would make her escape much easier. She snuck up on the engineer operating the gun. Using a technique she was taught during her training for the Rebellion, she grasped his gem, located on his shoulder, and squeezed tightly, forcing him to regenerate.
She stuck her hands into the holographic interface, shutting off the Robonoids, but not before taking a concussive round to the shoulder, causing her link with the machine to sever. Fortunately, it missed her gem by inches, but it still hurt like hell. She looked up, and noticed a tank, the same model Almandine would ride in, as well as a group of twelve soldiers.
Almandine) Well what do we have here? An escaped convict?
Chalcedony) You very well know that those charges are false, Almandine. I would never slaughter the Kindergarten workers, no matter how wrong I think it is.
Almandine) Oh you and your chivalrous knight act. You're not perfect, you know. Everyone has a breaking point. And I intend to find yours.
Chalcedony) You don't want to do this, Almandine. you know what I'm capable of.
Almandine) That is true. I will appeal to your.. peaceful side. If you come along quietly, the Authority has agreed to spare you. Refuse, and you die.
Chalcedony) Go with you? And go through "Re-education?" Not a chance. I know the horrors you perform there.
Almandine) Come on, It's not that bad. All twelve of the soldiers I have here used to be rebels like you, and now they're willing to die for the Homeworld.
Chalcedony) The answer is no! I intend to stand my ground!
Almandine) Very well. Come at me and my men. See how your values stand against our superior firepower! Men, fire at will!
The soldiers lined up and fired upon Chalcedony with extreme haste, barely giving her enough time to draw her weapon. As she was pelted by the hailstorm of pulse rifle rounds, she could feel the integrity of her physical form failing, attempting to retreat into her gem. Through sheer willpower, she fought her instinct, and pushed forward. Her body would flash blue occasionally in an attempt to start regeneration. She swung her blade, hitting the members of the tight formation, causing them to poof. She was exhausted.
Almandine) I'm impressed. You may have beat my lackeys, but you WILL be crushed underfoot of the Murinae. Gunner, fire!
The barrel of the tank slowly turned to face Chalcedony. She stared down the barrel as it charged up energy, and readied her blade, Apathy.
The tank fired the energy in the form of a hard light shell. Chalcedony, acting on nothing more than survival instinct, deflected the shell with the flat side of her sword. The shell rebound into the Murinae, blowing a hole open in the hull.
Almandine crawls out, watching in horror as his prized tank catches fire.
Almandine) Imp- impossible! You deflected the shell at point blank range! You really are a monster!
Chalcedony) DON'T UNDERUSTIMATE ME.
She said in a rage. She wasn't sure how she managed to pull it off, or why the sudden rage came to her, but she went with it.
Almandine) Pl-Please don't kill me!
Chalcedony swipes her sword down, pointing at Almandine's neck.
Chalcedony) Why should I spare you? After everything you've done? You're just a coward, who hides behind his brainwashed soldiers and posh tank, never showing his face in battle! You never had to kill someone because you were told too. You don't know what it feels like.
Almandine) Do you want... power? I can gi-give you that... Or a nice ...
Chalcedony pushes her blade just barely into his neck, so that only the tip is in it.
Chalcedony) Now you expect me to accept you're bargaining? Unbelievable! You really are a coward!
Almandine) I'M SO-
He never finished his sentence. His body hit the floor as a gem. Chalcedony got up, and crushed it underfoot of her boot, as she walked to the warp pad.
ROOFTOP[]
A projection of Yellow Diamond speaks to the hunter, Bloodstone.
Yellow Diamond) Almandine has failed me. Do not let Chalcedony reach the warp pad, or there WILL be consequences. Do you understand me?
Bloodstone) Yes, ma'am. She will be facing a hail storm of sniper bullets before ever reaching her destination. That is assured.